Modular roof rack clamping system

ABSTRACT

A roof rack system has a clamping system comprised of handles, a ratcheting mechanism, and a pair of jaws. The jaws provide a universal clamping system that will attach to most roof rack cross bars with an easy-on/easy-off, quick-release actuator, such as a ratcheting mechanism or lever system, that will integrate with a wide variety of accessories. The ratcheting mechanism provides compression of the attached accessory, securing it to a roof rack cross bar. This system is easier to use, more versatile, and less expensive than conventional roof rack accessory systems.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 62/630,697 filed on Feb. 14, 2018 and is acontinuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/273,537filed on Sep. 22, 2016 which claims priority from U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application No. 62/221,660 filed on Sep. 22, 2015.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable.

APPENDIX

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to roof racks, and more particularly toclamping devices used to hold items to roof racks.

Related Art

Vehicle roof racks are more prevalent today than ever. Many vehicleshave factory-installed roof racks on their base models. Vehicle ownershave tremendous numbers of options for different types of roof racks andvarious accessories that clamp on or are otherwise affixed to the roofracks. However, current roof rack systems are restrictive in what theycan carry, components are challenging to put on and take off, and roofrack accessories are expensive. In addition, roof racks differ widelyfrom vehicle to vehicle, and manufacturer to manufacturer which resultsin a wide array of components and options that make it difficult for theconsumer, and an inventory and logistics challenge for distributors andretailers. Accordingly, there remains a need for a simpler roof rackclamping system that is more economical, provides versatility and iseasier to use than the currently available accessories.

Roof racks systems contain roof rails, crossbars, and the accessoriesthat are used to hold items to the roof racks. The roof rack side railsare positioned parallel to the sides of the vehicle, while the crossbarsare positioned transverse between the side rails across the vehicle(from side-to-side). Roof rails attach to the vehicle in a variety ofways and the crossbars connect to these roof rails. Some vehicles andsystems eliminate the roof rails and have the crossbars mounted directlyto the vehicle roof. The roof rack accessories connect to the crossbarsby a variety of methods, and typically include a clamp with jaws onopposite sides of the crossbar (top to bottom or front to back), one endwhich may be permanently closed (such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.6,793,186) or could be used to adjust the distance between the top sideand bottom side for crossbars having different thicknesses (such asdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,210,407), and another end which has aclosure and adjustment mechanism.

Current roof rack clamping systems use different types of closure andadjustment mechanisms; many of the clamping devices having a threadedbolt connector that close and lock the jaws of the clamp, and otherclamping devices use a buckle or strap. To adjust the tightness of thejaws and lock the closure in place, most clamping systems may use adevice that is permanently connected to the clamp, such as a ratchet, alever, a wing nut or nut with a knob, and some require the use of aseparate tool such as a wrench to tighten a standard nut. In mostdesigns, the clamping jaws fit around the front and back end of thecrossbar (such as disclosed in the '186 and '407 Patents); in some otherdesigns, the jaws fit around the front and back end of the crossbarrather than clamping around the top and bottom, such as disclosed inU.S. Pat. No. 8,496,145, and in at least one design, the jaws fit aroundthe side rail, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,779,116. In yetanother alternative design, a clamping device may have a strap andratchet in which the strap actually serves both the role of one jaw ofthe clamp and the role of the closure mechanism, such as disclosed inU.S. Pat. No. 6,322,279.

The clamping systems connect the accessories to the roof racks, and theaccessories hold the items being transported such as bikes, skis,canoes, kayaks, roof boxes, and cargo bins. Accordingly, the clampingdevices have attachment mechanisms to which the accessories areconnected. In many current roof racks, the accessories are limited tomostly function for one particular type of sports equipment (carrybikes, canoes, skis, or some other type of sports equipment) but not alltypes of sports equipment or function to hold cargo carriers on the roofrack which results in additional expense when different types ofequipment need to be carried. In many instances, the accessory has anequipment-specific connector, such as a skewer for securing bicycleforks or straps for securing a bicycle tire (as disclosed in the '407Patent), or the accessory may have a universal connector that could beused to hold different accessory parts for various types of cargo.Universal connectors can be a threaded bolt, such as disclosed in the'186 Patent, or by some other type of mount, such as disclosed in U.S.Pat. Nos. 6,322,279 and 7,357,283.

Most current clamping systems do not offer accessories for transportinglarge items that do not fit in the cargo carriers, and the accessoriesthat are used to hold sports equipment are not suitable for large itemssuch as lumber, piping, conduit, ladders, rugs, Christmas trees, etc.Even in those roof racks which have universal connectors and which maybe used for oversized items, the accessories are often hard to attachand remove from the roof rack, resulting in most users leaving thecomponents on the roof rack even when not in use. Currently knowndesigns with a universal roof rack clamp which can be used for sportsequipment, cargo carriers or oversized items are difficult to use, takesignificant time to install and remove, require two hands to operate,and/or are insecure. None of the prior art clamps have an elongatedhandgrip and a trigger handle that extend in the same direction to allowfor single-handed installation of the clamp on the roof rack's crossbarand to provide for an actuated clamping mechanism. It would bebeneficial to have a roof rack clamp that can be installed onto the roofrack with a single hand. It would be an additional benefit to have aroof rack clamp with an elongated handgrip and a trigger handle toprovide a mechanical advantage for an actuated clamping mechanism.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A clamping system having opposing jaws, an elongated handgrip, anactuator, a trigger handle, and a mount. The opposing jaws are comprisedof a fixed jaw and a movable jaw, where jaws can be opened and connectedto a roof rack crossbar and closed onto the roof rack crossbar to securethe clamp and mounted accessories to the roof rack. The actuator can bea ratchet or a lever that is operated by the trigger handle. The jawshave one connection at their proximal ends where they extend from thehandgrip, the trigger handle, and the actuator and can also have asecond connection at their distal ends. A locking fastener, locking tabsor other locking means prevents the jaws from being opened when the lockis engaged and the jaws are closed.

Further areas of applicability of the present invention will becomeapparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. Inparticular, each one of the various embodiments of the present inventionhave various orientations, configurations, and arrangements of thecomponents that provide additional advantages over the prior artreferences. Accordingly, it should be understood that the detaileddescription and specific examples, while indicating the preferredembodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustrationonly and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from the detaildescription and the accompanying drawings. The drawings constitute apart of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of theinvention, which may be embodied in various forms. It is to beunderstood that in some instances, various aspects of the invention maybe shown exaggerated or enlarged to facilitate an understanding of theinvention; therefore the drawings are not necessarily to scale. Inaddition, in the embodiments depicted herein, like reference numerals inthe various drawings refer to identical or near identical structuralelements.

FIGS. 1A-1C are side views of a slide ratchet bar clamp according to thepresent invention.

FIGS. 2A-2E display the clamp of FIGS. 1A-1C as it is used with variousmounting accessories to hold objects to the roof rack.

FIG. 3A is an isometric view of an alternative slide ratchet bar clampwith a latching mechanism.

FIG. 3B shows the clamp of FIG. 3A in a progression of orientationsbetween the jaws relative to the roof rack crossbar.

FIGS. 3C and 3D are an isometric view and side view, respectively,showing a modular mount and a progression of positions relative to theclamp of FIG. 3A.

FIG. 4A is an isometric view of an alternative slide ratchet bar clamp.

FIG. 4B shows clamp of FIG. 4A in a progression of orientations betweenthe jaws relative to the roof rack crossbar.

FIGS. 4C and 4D are an isometric view and side view, respectively,showing an accessory mount in a progression of positions relative to theclamp of FIG. 4A.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are side views of another alternative slide ratchet barclamp.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are side views of a fulcrum ratchet clamp according tothe present invention in an opened configuration and a closedconfiguration, respectively.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are side views of a vice grip lever clamp according tothe present invention in an opened configuration and a closedconfiguration, respectively.

FIGS. 8A-8F depict an alternative vice grip lever clamp according to thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is exemplary innature rather than being limiting and corresponds with the drawingsshown below and attached hereto.

The present invention provides a secure clamping system that issignificantly easier to use than currently known systems and takes muchless time to install and remove from the roof rack. Additionally, theclamping devices of the present invention allow for single-handedoperation when installing the clamps onto roof rack crossbars. Severalembodiments of the roof rack clamps according to the present inventionare particularly described below, including a bar clamp, a ratchet clampand a vice grip clamp. Various orientations of the clamps are possiblewith the jaws of the clamp. For example, as explained in detail below,the bar clamp can be in a vertical or horizontal orientation relative tothe jaws.

As shown in each one of the embodiments, the clamp 10 of the presentinvention includes a pair of opposing jaws 12, an elongated handgrip 14,a trigger handle 18, a clamp actuator 16, and a mount 30. The jawsinclude a fixed jaw 12 a and a movable jaw 12 b opposing the fixed jaw12 a. The movable jaw 12 b has a spaced apart position 24 a and aproximate position 24 b relative to the fixed jaw 12 a, and the pair ofjaws 12 has an opened configuration 26 and a closed configuration 28when the movable jaw 12 b is in its spaced apart position 24 a andproximate position 24 b, respectively. Each one of the jaws 12 has aninterior surface 32 a and an outer surface, and the interior surface 32a preferably has a resilient pad 44. The crossbar 500 fits through anopening 34 between the pair of jaws 12 when they are in their openedconfiguration 26, and the crossbar 500 is contacted by the interiorsurface 32 a when the jaws are in their closed configuration 28. Whenthe pair of jaws 12 are in the closed configuration 28, the elongatedhandgrip 14 has a longitudinal length or span (L) that is on the sameorder of magnitude as the length (l) of the interior space 22 and mayalmost be equal (L≈1). The trigger handle 18 has a span (s) ispreferably at least half as long as the elongated handgrip 14 (s≥½S).

As explained below for the various embodiments of the clamp, the mount30 is preferably formed as a part of either of the jaws or is attachedto one of the jaws. For example, as an example of mounts that areintegrally formed with the jaws, a slot 48 can extend through the sidesof the jaws or the interior surface 32 a of the upper jaw 12 b can havea notch 50. A strap 54 can be passed through slot, and the either astrap 54 or an accessory foot 56 can be positioned within the notch. Themount 30 may alternatively be a bracket 52 or other fastener that mateswith and attaches to a section of the jaw, and the bracket of thepresent invention can be modular brackets or a bracket that mates withdifferent accessory mount inserts that connect to different accessorymounts.

The elongated handgrip 14 connects to the fixed jaw 12 a at theproximate side of the fixed jaw 12 a, and the handgrip 14 extends awayfrom the proximate side of the fixed jaw 12 a. Depending on theparticular embodiment, the trigger handle 18 is pivotally mounted to theproximal end of either the fixed jaw 12 a or the movable jaw 12 b.Regardless of the particular embodiment, the trigger handle 18 isconnected to the actuator mechanism 16 and is moved relative to theelongated handgrip 14 to operate the actuator 16. The trigger handlealso extends outwardly away from the fixed jaw in the same generaldirection as the handgrip such that the longitudinal axes 40 of thetrigger handle and the handgrip are either close to being parallel orare at a very shallow acute angle relative to each other when the clampis in its closed configuration, preferably less than 10°, and is at asmall acute angle when the clamp is in its opened configuration,preferably less than 30°, and less than 45° in all embodiments. Theorientation of the trigger handle relative to the handgrip allows forsingle-handed operation of the clamp by a user.

The actuator 16 is connected between the elongated handgrip 14 and thetrigger handle 18 and also connects the pair of jaws 12 to each other.The components of the actuator assembly may directly connect the jaws toeach other as in the embodiments of the slide ratchet clamp and fulcrumratchet clamp as described below or may indirectly connect the jaws toeach other, such as through the trigger handle, such as in the lockinglever clamp embodiment that is also described below. In each one of theembodiments, the actuator assembly also has a clamp release and a handlespring. Depending on the particular clamp embodiment, the clamp releaseis connected to the slide ratchet, the fulcrum ratchet, or the lockinglever, and the handle spring is in operative engagement between thetrigger handle and either the handgrip or the locking lever such that itbiases the trigger handle away from the handgrip.

The particular components of the actuator assemblies are described foreach one of the clamp embodiments below. It will be appreciated that theclamp release can be a braking lever 80, a thumb slider 106, a ratchetlocking pin 146, or a release lever 158, and these optional structuresfor the clamp release can be situated at different locations dependingon the particular type of actuator mechanism being used. Similarly, itwill be appreciated that the particular types of handle spring, such asa compression spring 72 or a tension spring 132, and its location withinthe clamp also varies depending on the particular type of actuatormechanism.

FIGS. 1A-1C show the vertical bar clamp 10 a with two interconnected andinterlocking parts, an upper fixed jaw 12 a and a lower movable jaw 12b. The upper clamp part has a ratcheting mechanism 86 with a flat-sidedbar 76 serving as the connecting member 68 between the upper and lowerclamp parts. The flat-sided bar 76 moves in the vertical directionthrough the handgrip 14 when the lever handle 18 is compressed. As thelever handle 18 is compressed, a driving lever 70 engages the connectingmember 68 and forces it in the vertical direction to close the clamp 10.The ratcheting mechanism 86 and the connecting member 68 force the upperand lower clamp parts together against the top and bottom of thecrossbar 500 to hold the clamp 10 securely in place on the vehicle roofrack 502. The two clamp parts connect on one side of the crossbar in apivoting connection point 90 and on the other side of the crossbar theyconnect via the connecting member 68.

One embodiment of the ratcheting mechanism 86 is comprised of a cavity92. The connecting member 68 is a flat-sided bar 76 that passes througha hole in the elongated grip 14, into the cavity 92, and through a holein the trigger handle. Within the cavity, a driving lever 70 is situatedon the connecting member and proximate to the top of the trigger handle18. A compression coil spring 72 is situated around the flat-sided bar76 and is compressed between the driving lever 70 on the trigger handle18 and the top of the cavity 92 in the elongated grip 14. In the standbyposition, the driving lever is perpendicular to the connecting member.When the trigger handle is compressed, the driving lever engages theconnected member and moves from perpendicular to a position towardsvertical. The force of the driving lever to the connected memberincrementally moves the connecting member upwards, creating acompression between the upper and lower jaw. In the standby position 94,the driving lever 70 rests on the trigger handle 18 within the cavity 92and the flat-sided bar 76 is free to move.

The flat-sided bar 76 extends through the bottom via the hole of thetrigger handle 18 and through an opening in a braking lever 80. Thebraking lever 80 is held within a recess of the trigger handle 18 andextends outwardly away from the upper jaw 12 b. A braking spring 98 islocated within the trigger handle 18 and applies a force to the brakinglever 80 that keeps the braking lever 80 in place. The braking lever 80is biased to bind against the flat-sided bar 76 to prevent movement,keeping the flat-sided bar 76 in place. When the braking spring 98 iscompressed by the breaking lever 80 and disengaged from the flat-sidedbar 76, the flat-sided bar 76 is free to slide in either direction.

Connection points 90 a, 90 b between the upper and lower clamps may takevarious forms. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the lower clamp part 12 amay have a hook 100 that engages a pin 102 or a similar component in theupper clamp 12 b part for fastening. Once the lower clamp 12 a part isput in place, then lever handle 18 is compressed to tighten the clamp 10on to the crossbar 500. One or both of the connection points 90 a, 90 bbetween the may be detachable upper and lower clamps. In the case whereboth connection points are detachable, such as shown in FIG. 1B, theentire lower clamp part 12 a can be removed from the upper clamp part 12b. At least one side of the jaws are detachable from each other toproduce an opening 34 for the crossbar 500. As shown in FIG. 1C, theconnection point 90 b to the connecting member 68 can be a removable pin88, while the other connection point 90 a is a pivot point 102 that isnot detachable. A user can remove the pin 88 to open the back of theclamp 10 for placing on the crossbar 500, and then the handle 18 iscompressed to tighten the clamp 10.

The pivoting connection point 90 between the upper and lower clamp partsmay be a fixed pivot point 102 a, or a detachable pivot point 102 b.This connecting point 90 may also be adjustable to allow the size of theclamp's opening 34 to be varied. Different size openings allow the clampto be used with a wide variety of crossbar 500 sizes. These featuresallow the user to easily and quickly attach and remove the clamp 10 fromthe crossbars 500. In this embodiment, the longitudinal axis 40 a of theflat-sided bar is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis40 b of the interior space, and the longitudinal axes 40 of the triggerhandle and the handgrip are substantially aligned with the longitudinalaxis 40 b of the interior space.

The clamp 10 can have a strap 54 that is integral to the clamp or may beadded to the clamp. When the clamp 10 is attached securely to the rack500, the strap 54 can be used to securely hold items to the roof rack502. The strap 54 can be connected to the clamp 10 at a fixed end 54 aand may have a free end 54 b that can be wrapped around and/or throughthe item or items to be secured to the roof rack and transported. Thefree end 54 b is then passed through a locking mechanism 110 within theclamp 10 or on another free end of the strap. When the clamp 10 is movedinto its closed configuration, it secures the strap to the crossbar.

The use of the clamp 10 with various mounting accessories is shown inFIGS. 2A-2E as it holds objects to the roof rack. Common items andequipment may be secured to roof racks using the clamp, including lumber512, piping 516, molding, ladders, and rugs. It will be appreciated thatmany other oversized and/or irregular shaped items can be held in placeusing the clamps 10 and straps 54, such as Christmas trees, canoes,kayaks and mattresses. The strap may be weather-resistant webbing (suchas nylon), rope, or stainless-steel cabling. In a variation, the strap54 and its locking mechanism 110 is a separate mechanism from theratcheting mechanism 86 and secures the strap 54 alternately with a camlock, buckle, or other similar device. As shown in FIG. 2A, a separatestrap ratchet 524 can also be connected to the strap 54 to pull thestrap taut around the items being secured to the roof rack. As shown inFIG. 2B, the strap 54 can be used with the clamp 10 alone to secureitems to the roof rack 502.

As the popularity of roof rack systems has increased, so has thevariation in the profile of the crossbars 500. The clamp is adapted tofit on a wide variety of crossbar 500 profiles (round, rectangular, andaero, for example). The cross-sectional opening 22 of the clamp 10 canaccept inserts with profiles that match specifically shaped crossbars500. The inserts preferably snap securely into the upper and lower clampparts. At the interface between the insert and the crossbar, the insertshave an appropriate material, such as rubber or another resilient andflexible material, which allows for good compression and fit whileprotecting the crossbars 500 from damage or scratching.

The clamp 10 has an accessory notch 50 in the upper jaw 12 b, allowingthe clamp 10 to securely hold the roof rack accessories. Accessoriessuch as roof boxes and other cargo bins 510, bike racks 520, kayak/canoeholders, etc, could have an accessory foot 56 which fits into the clamp10, such as by fitting within the notch 50 in the clamp. The notch 50and foot 56 fit together so that once the clamp 10 is secured to thecrossbar 500, the clamp 10 holds the accessory securely to the crossbar500. The notch 50 and foot 56 connection may be formed through a varietyof shapes (flat, rectangular, or round). Examples of the accessory notch50 being used for a base foot accessory to secure bike rack 520 thatholds bicycle tire and a skewer accessory 522 that holds bicycle forks524 are shown in FIGS. 2C and 2D, respectively. The skewer accessorycould have a locking mechanism to prevent it from being opened when itis holding the bicycle forks. As explained below, the mount 30 may be abracket 52 that is held within a cavity 46 in one of the jaws or othertype of fastener which mates with and holds an accessory mount insert58.

The entire assembly uses materials that are appropriate for useoutdoors, such as plastics, rubber, and treated or stainless steel.Different types of locks 170, 514 can be used with the clamp 10 toprevent unwanted removal. For example, a padlock 514 that is separatefrom the clamp body can be used with locking tabs that extend from thejaws or from one or both of the handgrip and the trigger handle to keepthe clamp in its closed configuration. Another type of lock fastener 170can be integral to the clamp body and is actuated using a key or othersecurity device.

The modular system described above allows a wide variety of roof rackaccessories to be securely attached to a vehicle roof. These accessoriesmay utilize the roof rack clamp 10 as the method of attachment, andother methods are also possible. Some accessories have a universal foot56 that integrates with the accessory notch 50 in the clamp 10. However,the foot 56 is able to connect to other components that attach to roofrack crossbars 500. The accessory foot 56 can also contain an alternateconnection point which allows it to connect different types of crossbarclamps. The alternate connection point in the accessory foot 56 may be ahole, a slot, or other appropriately sized space to accept theconnection method between the crossbar clamp 10 and the accessory foot56. FIG. 2E depicts the accessory foot 56 as it can secure a cargocarrier 510 to the crossbar 500. In one configuration, the accessoryfoot is connected to the cargo carrier directly. In anotherconfiguration, the cargo carrier could have an accessory mount thatmates with a threaded bolt connector 114. The threaded bolt connector114 has a base plate or other bracket 164 with a threaded bolt 166 thatextends upward from the bracket. It will also be appreciated that athreaded bolt connector 114 can be attached directly to the uppersurface of the upper jaw 12 b.

For a roof box accessory 510, current products and patents containintegral clamps, usually four, which are accessed from within the roofbox or below it at the crossbar. In this invention, as shown in FIG. 2E,the roof box 510 simply contains four feet 56 which extend out from bothsides (two per side) and at each of two crossbars 500 (for a total offour). These feet 56 could be formed as integral parts of the moldedplastic roof box 510 construction, or the feet 56 could be separatecomponents that bolt onto the roof box during initial assembly. The roofbox 510 is then secured to the crossbars 500 by one of a variety ofmethods such as threaded bolt connector 114 or using the roof rack clamp10 described in this invention. Canoe or kayak accessories and otheraccessories can also use an accessory foot 56 that is inserted into thenotch and secured to the crossbar 500.

An alternative slide ratchet bar clamp with a latching mechanism isshown in FIGS. 3A-3D. This embodiment has many of the same features asthe slide ratchet bar clamp shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B and describedabove. Rather than using a removable pin as the connection point betweenthe pair of jaws, this embodiment of the invention uses a spring-loadedlatch 64 that releasably engages with a catch 66 when the clamp 10 is inthe closed configuration 28. FIG. 3B illustrates how the spring-loadedlatch 64 and catch 66 disengage from each other to allow the jaws toseparate and engage with each other to close the jaws 12 of the clamp10. A lower jaw lever 118 can be pulled upwards to unlock the lower jawand pushed downwards to lock the lower jaw. The distal end of the upperjaw has a latch release 38. When the latch release is depressed, itpushes the latch back to release the catch so that the distal end of thelower jaw rotates away from the distal end of the upper jaw, therebyproducing an opening 34 for the pair of jaws to be placed around thecrossbar. When the latch release is no longer depressed, the springpushes the latch into the catch to lock the lower jaw to the upper jaw.The trigger handle is then operated relative to the handgrip similarlyto the clamp as described in FIG. 1 to tighten and secure the clamparound the crossbar.

Since the distal ends of the jaws can be readily opened and closed withthe releasable connection point 90 a provided by the latching mechanism,the connection point 90 b between the proximal end of the bottom jaw andthe ratchet bar 76 can be a fixed pivot point 102 that is notdetachable. In particular, the hinge 62 between the lower jaw and theratchet bar can be a nondetachable hinged connection.

A locking fastener 170 can be used to prevent the breaking lever 80 frombeing actuated when the clamp is in its closed configuration. This willprevent the jaws of the clamp from moving into their openedconfiguration when the lock is engaged with the breaking lever to securethe clamp to the roof rack. The locking fastener 170 may also be used tolock a bracket 52 and an accessory mount insert 58 into the recess 50 onthe topside of the top jaw. To further protect the closed clamp frombeing opened and removed from the roof rack, the distal ends of the pairof jaws may also have a respective pair of tabs 168 that can be locked.The pair of tabs can have holes for the shackle of a padlock 514.

The interior surfaces 32 a of the jaws preferably have a resilientsurface 44, such as silicon rubber. The resilient surface may be formedas inserts with different shapes to serve for crossbars that havedifferent cross-sectional shapes. As with the embodiment described abovewith reference to FIGS. 1A-1C, the longitudinal axis 40 a of theflat-sided bar is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis40 b of the interior space, and the longitudinal axes 40 of the triggerhandle and the handgrip are substantially aligned with the longitudinalaxis 40 b of the interior space. The external surfaces of one or both ofthe jaws may also have a resilient surface to help prevent scratching orscuffing of the vehicle's paint and preventing potential damage to theitems being secured to the roof rack.

FIGS. 3C and 3D show a mount 30 in the form of a depression or cavity 46and a mating bracket 52 that can be used with straps 54 or with anaccessory mount insert 58 or directly with an accessory mount. Thebracket is preferably secured within the cavity 46 on the topside of thetop jaw. In the particular embodiment shown in FIGS. 3C and 3D, thebracket fits within the cavity and has a protrusion with a flange on itsend which extends through a hole in the bottom of the recess and engagesa spring pin lock 120 where it clicks into place. The spring pin lockmay be accessed from a port in the interior surface of the upper jaw.When the jaws 12 are in their closed configuration around the roofrack's crossbar, the spring pin 120 cannot be accessed on the underside,thereby locking the bracket 52 in place. As particularly shown in FIG.3D, the distal end of a jaw can have a latch that connects with a catchin the distal end of the other jaw when the jaws are in their closedposition. The latch and catch could include a keyed locking mechanismthat prevents the latch from disengaging from the catch when the jawsare in their closed position without the proper key, thereby preventingthe clamp from being opened when the jaws are locked.

The bracket can have one or more slots 48 through which one or morestraps 54 pass through. The accessory mount insert 58 mates with and isheld by the bracket and may be locked in place by the locking fastener.It will be appreciated that the bracket 52 and/or the accessory mountinsert 58 can have different configurations, and various matingconnections can be used between the bracket 52 and the jaws. Examples ofvarious inserts include locking threaded connectors 114, male/femaleconnectors 116 a, and threaded holes 116 b, and it will be appreciatedthat other fasteners and mating features could be used for the insertsor the brackets 52 a, 52 b, 52 c could be formed with these differenttypes of mating features including integrally threaded connectors.Accordingly, the modular bracket mount of the present invention can beused with different types of accessory mounting systems from a number ofdifferent manufacturers.

The horizontal bar clamp, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B and in FIGS. 5Aand 5B, has similar components as the vertical bar clamp 10 a. However,rather than having top and bottom jaws, the horizontal bar clamp 10 bhas a front jaw 12 b and a back jaw 12 a. The back clamp 12 a part has aratcheting mechanism 86 that allows a connecting member 68 to move inthe horizontal direction when a lever handle 18 is depressed. As thelever handle is depressed 18, a driver bar or a ratcheting pawl engagesthe connecting member 68 and forces it in the horizontal direction thusclosing the clamp 10. The ratcheting mechanism 86 and the connectingmember 68 facilitate the front 12 b and back clamp 12 a parts tocompress together against the sides of the crossbar 500 becoming tighterwith each squeeze of the lever handle 18, thus holding the clamp 10securely in place on a vehicle roof rack 500. The ratcheting mechanism86 may use friction or gear teeth or other method of operation.

The clamp has a mount 30 on the front clamp 12 b part in the form of anaccessory attachment bracket 122, allowing the clamp 10 to securely holdroof rack accessories. Accessories such as roof boxes and other cargobins 510, bike racks 520, kayak/canoe holders, etc, have a correspondingconnector piece 124 which attach to the bracket. The accessoryattachment bracket 122 has a recess 128 a and a pair of side arms 128 bthat each surround attachment holes 128 c. The accessory connector 124has a pair of side clips 126 a at one end that respectively snap intothe attachment holes and has a hook 126 b at the other end with achannel 126 c in the hook that is situated around the connecting member68. FIG. 4B shows the progression of how the accessory attachment 122 issecured to the front clamp 12 b. The connector piece 124 fits onto thefront clamp 12 b part so that once the clamp 10 is secured to thecrossbar 500, the clamp holds the accessory securely to the crossbar500. The connector piece 124 hooks onto the front clamp 12 b part and isrotated downward to snap into place using side clips 126 a that engagewith the clamp body 10. The connector piece 124 is released from theaccessory attachment bracket 122 by inwardly depressing the side clips126 c directly or disengagement tabs 126 d that are connected to theside clips. It will be appreciated that a similar accessory adapter withside clips could be used with the clamp embodiment shown in FIGS. 1A and1B with the side clips being releasably secured within the slots 48 andthe body of the adapter fitting between the sidewalls of the top jaw.

The clamp 10 can be locked by means of inserting the shackle of apadlock 514 in the lock hole 104. Preferably, the lock hole 104 islocated at the release lever 106 so that the padlock prevents therelease lever from moving. Alternatively, the end of the slide bar mayhave a hole that aligns with a locking fastener when the clamp is in itsclosed configuration so that the locking fastener can engage the hole toprevent any movement of the slide bar back to the opened configuration.Alternatively or in combination with the padlock or the lockingfastener, a pair of tabs with center holes could extend from thecorresponding pair of jaws, and the shackle of the padlock can be placedthrough the center holes. It will also be appreciated that the latchingmechanism shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B and described in detail above couldalso be incorporated into the jaws of the clamps shown in FIGS. 4A-4Dand FIGS. 5A and 5B; in particular, the latch would be situated on oneof the jaws opposite from the slide bar and the catch would be situatedon the other one of the jaws also opposite from the slide bar.

Similar to the clamps shown in FIGS. 1A-1C and in FIGS. 3A-3D, the slideconnector 68 may be a flat-sided slide bar 76 or a toothed slide bar 78.Also similar to the embodiments described above, the trigger handlepivotably mounts to the fixed jaw and the actuator includes a clamprelease 106 and a compression coil spring situated between the triggerhandle and the handgrip to bias the trigger handle away from thehandgrip. However, unlike the embodiments described above, thehorizontal slide clamp shown in FIGS. 4A-4D can position the handlespring with its axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the slidebar rather than having aligned axes so the spring would not surround theslide bar. In this embodiment, the clamp release 106 is connected eitherto the ratchet's one-way driver mechanism 108 or to a ratchet lockingpin (not shown) that would be similar to the pin described below for thefulcrum ratchet clamp. The clamp release can be operated to disengagethe one-way driver mechanism 108 from the slide ratchet 78 or todisengage the ratchet locking pin. The slide connector 68 extendsbetween the fixed jaw 12 a and the movable jaw 12 b and connects thepair of jaws 12.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4A-4D, the longitudinal axis 40 a ofthe slide ratchet is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis 40b of the interior space so that both of these axes are substantiallyaligned with the longitudinal axes 40 of the trigger handle and thehandgrip. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the longitudinalaxis 40 a of the slide ratchet is substantially parallel to thelongitudinal axis 40 b of the interior space, and these axes aresubstantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axes 40 of the triggerhandle and the handgrip.

FIGS. 6A and 6B show the fulcrum ratchet clamp 10 c that has a many ofthe same basic components as the other ratchet clamp embodimentsdescribed above. In particular, the clamp 10 has a pair of jaws 12, ahandgrip 14, a trigger handle 18, and an actuator 16. In this embodimentthe actuator is a ratcheting mechanism 16 b with gear teeth along acurve 144 rather than having teeth on a straight bar. The lower jaw 12 acontains the ratchet gear 134, and the trigger handle 18 contains thepawl 136 with a handle spring. As the trigger handle is rotated towardthe lower handle by squeezing it, the pawl engages the gear teeth androtation causes the lower jaw 12 a to close. As the ratchet gear rotatesaround its pivot point to close the lower jaw, a spring-loaded ratchetlocking pin 146 engages the gear teeth as they pass by in the closingdirection. When the ratchet locking pin is engaged with the gear teeth,it prevents the ratchet gear from rotating in the opening direction. Theratchet locking pin has a tab that can be pulled back to pull theratchet locking pin away from the teeth and which allows the jaws tomove into the opened configuration.

In the closing action, with the locking pin engaging the gear teeth,when trigger handle is released, the internal handle spring forces itaway from the handgrip, and the pawl resets. This motion is repeateduntil the lower jaw 12 a and upper jaw 12 b are tightly closed onto theroof rack crossbar 500. Since the ratchet locking pin holds the ratchetgear and the jaws in the closed configuration, the pawl and handlespring assembly can be released from the ratchet gear using a thumbslider 106 which allows the trigger handle to be closed against thehandgrip. A retainer clip 142 attached to the handgrip can be rotatedinto engagement with the trigger handle to hold it in its closedposition adjacent to the handgrip.

Similar to the embodiments described above, the clamp has a slot 48 andan accessory notch 50 in the upper jaw 12 b, allowing the clamp 10 tosecurely hold roof rack accessories. The notch 50 and foot 56 fittogether so that once the clamp 10 is secured to the cross bar 500 theclamp 10 holds the accessory securely to the cross bar 500. The notch 50and foot 56 connection may be formed through a variety of shapes (flat,rectangular, or round). The clamp can be locked by means of insertingthe shackle of a padlock 514 in lock holes in a pair of tabs that extendfrom the distal ends of the jaws. It will also be appreciated that thelatching mechanism shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B and described in detailabove could also be incorporated into the jaws of the clamps shown inFIGS. 6A and 6B; in particular, the latch and catch would be situated atthe distal ends of the jaws opposite from the actuator.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the locking lever clamp 10d operates in asimilar manner as locking pliers, often called vice-grip pliers andwrenches. Similar to the ratchet clamp embodiments described above, theclamp 10 has a pair of jaws 12, a handgrip 14, a trigger handle 18, andan actuator 16. In this embodiment the actuator is a lever actuator 16 cas compared to the ratchet actuators 16 a, 16 b described above. Thetrigger handle is rotated away from the handgrip when the jaws are intheir opened configuration. As the trigger handle is rotated toward thehandgrip, a linkage 148 between the handgrip and the trigger handleforces the jaw connected to the trigger handle to rotate toward the jawfixedly connected to the handgrip until it reaches the closedconfiguration. The linkage 148 is positioned within recesses 150 in thehandgrip and the trigger handle, and a tension coil spring 132 isconnected between the linkage and the trigger handle as shown the leverclamp in FIGS. 7A and 7B. The tension spring biases the trigger handleaway from the handgrip and is extended in the closed configuration andcontracted in the opened orientation. An adjustment knob 152 at the backof the handgrip adjusts the longitudinal distance of the distal end ofthe linkage from the back end of the handgrip which varies the extent towhich the movable jaw closes relative to the fixed jaw. Accordingly, theadjustment knob can be rotated so that when the clamp is in its closedconfiguration, the clamp tightly fits on the cross bar. In analternative lever clamp shown in FIG. 8 the tension coil spring may beconnected between the trigger handle and the handgrip through holes inthe handgrip and the jaw, as shown in FIGS. 8A, 8B and 8C. Additionally,the tension spring may be positioned on either side of the clamp and insuch an embodiment a pin translating though a slot in the handgripserves as a bearing surface engaged by the adjustment screw as shown inFIGS. 8A, 8B and 8D.

Both lever clamp embodiments include a release lever 158 situated at thedistal end of the trigger handle in the recess which rotates around apivot point 160. In the closed configuration, the linkage pushes theproximal end of the release lever upward further into the interiorportion 162 of the recess and the distal end of the release leverrotates away from the interior portion of the recess. When the distalend of the release lever shown in FIG. 7 is pushed into the interiorportion of the recess, the proximal end of the release lever is forcedaway from the interior portion and pushes the linkage away from itslocked position and the spring forces the linkage to rotate the triggerhandle away from the handgrip, thereby rotating the jaws apart into theopened configuration. Alternatively, when the distal end of the releaselever shown in FIG. 8 is pushed away from handgrip 14 the proximal endof the release lever pushes on the linkage forcing the trigger handleaway from the locked position. Accordingly, the spring forces thelinkage to rotate the trigger handle away from the handgrip and the jawsrotate into the opened configuration as described above.

Similar to the ratchet clamp embodiments described above, locking leverclamp embodiments have a slot 48 and an accessory notch 50 in the upperjaw 12 b, allowing the clamp 10 to securely hold roof rack accessories.The notch 50 and foot 56 fit together so that once the clamp 10 issecured to the cross bar 500 the clamp 10 holds the accessory securelyto the cross bar 500. The notch 50 and foot 56 connection may be formedthrough a variety of shapes (flat, rectangular, or round). As shown inFIG. 7B a variation of the lever clamp can be locked by means ofinserting the shackle of a padlock 514 in lock holes in a pair of tabsthat extend from the distal ends of the jaws. It will also beappreciated that the latching mechanism shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B anddescribed in detail above could also be incorporated into the jaws ofthe clamps shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B with the latch and catch beingsituated at the distal ends of the jaws opposite from the actuator. Analternative lever clamp, such as in FIG. 8, may also have a threadedhole in the top outside surface of the upper jaw 12 b for the attachmentof a variety of threaded hooks, eyelets, and other fasteners.Additionally, rubberized or similar material can be attached to thefixed jaw, the trigger handle and handgrip for increased purchase andincreased user comfort.

As described above, the clamp can be locked by means of inserting acable lock or the shackle of a padlock 514 in lock holes in a pair oftabs that extend from the distal ends of the handgrip and trigger or maybe locked by other types of lock mechanisms inserted into the side ofthe handgrip that can be can be situated in a number of differentlocations as shown in FIG. 8E. For example, a lock mechanism can bepositioned in the handgrip adjacent to the release lever and can preventthe release lever from actuating the linkage to open the jaws when thelock is engaged and the clamp is in its closed configuration, such aswith the lock described above with reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B thatprevents the breaking lever from being actuated. Alternatively, a lockmechanism can be positioned toward the distal end of one of the jaws,such as with a latch and catch similar to FIGS. 3C and 3D. As yetanother example, a lock mechanism for a latch and catch type of couplingcould be situated between the handgrip and the trigger handle such thatwhen the lock is engaged, the latch rotates out across the space betweenthe handgrip and the trigger handle to engage the catch or the latch canbe prevented from disengaging from the catch such as described abovewith references to FIGS. 3A and 3B.

As particularly shown in FIGS. 8A-8F, the clamp described herein mayalso be made up of a separable frame and body. As shown in FIG. 8F theclamp has an internal metal frame with plastic body pieces attachedthereto, but it will be appreciated by those having skill in the artthat various frame and body materials may be also used. Additionally, asdiscussed above the body pieces are generally covered with a rubbermaterial to provide an ergonomic handle grip as well as increasedpurchase within the jaws of the clamp. Additionally, the body pieces maybe secured to the frame with various fasteners including but not limitedto screws, bolts, pins and adhesives.

As indicated above, different types of clamp actuators 16 can be used inthe present invention. The actuator mechanisms 16 that are used in slideratchet clamps, fulcrum ratchet clamps, and vice grip locking pliers andother similar tools which hold workpieces in place can be incorporatedinto the clamp actuator 16 of the present invention. Examples of suchactuator mechanisms are described in the following patents which areincorporated by reference herein: U.S. Pat. Nos. 952,079, 1,036,093,2,514,130, 3,354,759, 3,427,016, 4,220,322, 4,926,722, 5,005,449,6,000,686, 6,240,815, 7,784,774, and 8,177,203. Although the clampingand ratcheting mechanisms for these known hand tools can be incorporatedinto the roof rack clamp 10 of the present invention, these known toolsas they currently exist would not satisfactorily serve as a roof rackclamp according to several features and aspects of the present inventionas it is used for roof rack crossbars on vehicles or on other types ofcargo carriers. The existing tools would not satisfactorily perform theclamping functions on the crossbars of vehicle roof racks 500 becausethey do not have a mount feature that is important to the operation ofthe roof rack clamp 10. The hand tools only have one connection point atthe proximal end of the jaws, adjacent to the handgrip and triggerhandle; they do not have a second connection point at the distal end ofthe jaws as in the preferred embodiments of the present invention toprovide for additional clamping strength and security. Additionally, thehand tools do not have any type of locking fastener, locking tabs orother means for locking the clamps to prevent theft of the object beingheld to the roof rack. Further, the orientations and relative sizes ofthe clamping surfaces for the jaws that would provide sufficientstability for a secure connection to crossbars. For example, many of thehand tools have a width that is too narrow relative to the length andheight of the interior space between the jaws so they would likely rockor rotate if placed on a crossbar.

Additionally, if known hand tool clamps were to be modified according tothe teachings of the present invention, they would no longersatisfactorily perform the clamping functions necessary to holdworkpieces that they are designed to hold in place because they requirea different orientation of the jaws with a relatively smaller surfacearea for the workpieces. According to the teachings for hand toolclamps, when the pressure of one or both jaws is to be distributed on aparticular type of workpiece, a clamping caul is typically placedbetween the jaw and the workpiece rather than modifying the design ofthe clamp. Therefore, although the general teaching of these clampingand ratcheting mechanisms of these tools are incorporated by referenceherein, modifications of these mechanisms must be made according to thepresent invention to satisfactorily perform the necessary clampingfunction in a roof rack clamp.

The present invention has a number of benefits over current roof rackclamps and other cargo carrier clamps. Although there are many knownclamps that have a pair of adjustable jaws that connect a particulartype of accessory mount or a universal accessory mount to the crossbarof a roof rack, none of the prior art clamps use both a handgrip and atrigger handle that allows for single-handed installation of the clampon the roof rack's crossbar. Additionally, none of the of prior artreferences combine a handgrip and a trigger handle with an actuator thatprovide a mechanical advantage of the lever action of the triggerhandle. Other benefits of the present invention include the handlespring situated between the handgrip and the trigger handle which allowsfor single-handed tightening of the jaws on the crossbar and the quickclamp release of the present invention which permits for the efficientrepositioning of the clamp on the crossbar.

The embodiments were chosen and described to best explain the principlesof the invention and its practical application to persons who areskilled in the art. As various modifications could be made to theexemplary embodiments, as described above with reference to thecorresponding illustrations, without departing from the scope of theinvention, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoingdescription and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpretedas illustrative rather than limiting. Thus, the breadth and scope of thepresent invention should not be limited by any of the above-describedexemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with thefollowing claims appended hereto and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A clamp for connecting to a roof rack bar,comprising: a pair of jaws comprised of a fixed jaw, a movable jawopposing the fixed jaw, and an interior space between the fixed jaw andthe movable jaw, wherein the movable jaw has a spaced apart positionrelative to the fixed jaw and a proximate position relative to the fixedjaw, wherein the pair of jaws has an opened configuration when themovable jaw is in the spaced apart position and a closed configurationwhen the moveable jaw is in the proximate position, wherein each one ofthe jaws is comprised of an interior surface bounding opposite sides ofthe interior space, wherein the interior space has a length and a heightwhen the pair of jaws is in the closed configuration, and wherein atleast one of the length and the height is increased and forms an openingto the interior space between the pair of jaws when in the openedconfiguration; an elongated handgrip fixedly connected to the fixed jawproximate to a first side of the fixed jaw, and wherein the elongatedhandgrip extends away from the first side of the fixed jaw along a firstlongitudinal axis; an actuator operatively connected to the elongatedhandgrip proximate to the first side of the fixed jaw, wherein theactuator connects the pair of jaws to each other, wherein the actuatormoves the pair of jaws between the opened configuration and the closedconfiguration, and wherein the elongated handgrip extends outwardly awayfrom the actuator; a trigger handle extending away from the first sideof the fixed jaw along a second longitudinal axis in the same directionas the first longitudinal axis of the elongated handgrip when the pairof jaws are in the opened configuration and when the pair of jaws are inthe closed configuration, wherein the second longitudinal axis of thetrigger handle is aligned with the first longitudinal axis of theelongated handle within an acute angle when the pair of jaws are in theopened configuration and when the pair of jaws are in the closedconfiguration, wherein the trigger handle is pivotally mounted to atleast one of the fixed jaw and the movable jaw, and wherein the triggerhandle is operatively connected to the actuator; and a locking tabattached to at least one of the fixed jaw, the movable jaw, theelongated handgrip, and the trigger handle, wherein the locking tab hasa locked configuration preventing the pair of jaws from moving from theclosed configuration to the opened configuration and has an unlockedconfiguration permitting movement of the pair of jaws from the closedconfiguration to the opened configuration.
 2. The clamp of claim 1,further comprising a spring connected between the elongated handgrip andat least one of the trigger handle and one of the pair of jaws.
 3. Theclamp of claim 1, further comprising a mount connected to or formed as apart of at least one of the pair of jaws.
 4. The clamp of claim 3,wherein the mount is further comprised of at least one of a slotextending through at least one of the fixed jaw and the moveable jaw, anotch in the interior surface in at least one of the fixed jaw and themoveable jaw, and a bracket connected to at least one of the fixed jawand the moveable jaw.
 5. The clamp of claim 1, wherein the elongatedhandgrip has a span that is the same order of magnitude as the length ofthe interior space in the closed configuration, wherein the triggerhandle has a length at least half as long as the span of the elongatedhandgrip, wherein proximal ends of the elongated handgrip and thetrigger handle adjacent to the actuator are spaced by a distance that isless than the span of the trigger handle, wherein the roof rack bar fitsthrough the opening in the opened configuration, and wherein the roofrack bar is contacted by the interior surface of the pair of jaws whenin the closed configuration.
 6. The clamp of claim 1, wherein the acuteangle between the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinalaxis is less than 45° when the pair of jaws are in the openedconfiguration and when the pair of jaws are in the closed configuration.7. The clamp of claim 1, wherein the trigger handle rotates relative tothe elongated grip between a first position and a second position withinthe acute angle when the pair of jaws are in the opened configurationand in the closed configuration.
 8. The clamp of claim 1, wherein theelongated handgrip further comprises an adjustment knob.